The language and culture in Japan is something to really be admired. With around 127 million native speakers in Japan, any language skills that you have will take you a long way. Obviously the more fluent that you are, the further you will go.

There are numerous ways to learn Japanese, but in order to stand out more and to take your language learning beyond just a conversational level, you should look at taking a Japanese course at university.

There are so many options nowadays for those wanting to go on to higher education.

Have you considered Japanese learning ?

Would you like to learn how to speak Nihongo in order to live and work in Japan with Japanese people?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re in luck! We’re going to talk about learning Japanese at university in this very article!

How to Learn Japanese at University

If you already have a good level, either through studying Japanese with a private tutor, or at school, or a local language institute, studying a degree in Japanese probably already seems like a good idea.

Although you can study Japanese at middle school, it is far from common. However, the number of people taking language courses in Japanese at university is on the rise.

Studying Japanese can really further your career. (Source: pixabay.com)

In theory, a degree will take you four years of study. You can start immediately after you finish high school, finish four years later, and then you could even consider continuing your studies by doing a Master’s Degree in Japanese. Having a conversation in Tokyo will seem a lot less daunting after reaching such a level!

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. It’s probably too early to start talking about a Master’s before you’ve even learned any Japanese words or phrases.

As we mentioned earlier, studying Japanese is becoming more and more popular. But it is not just the language that students find enticing. Japanese culture and history are fascinating subjects in their own right, but they are both closely intertwined. Therefore, as a beginner, expect your language lessons to not only teach you how to speak Japanese, but a little bit about the traditions of the land of the rising sun.

And if you want to learn Japanese, but not study for a degree in it, you can take optional modules at a lot of universities around the world. With such an option, you don’t need to master kanji or the kana (both hiragana and katakana). You can learn some Japanese vocabulary, such as greeting and how to introduce yourself.

If you’re just starting out and aren’t sure how to learn Japanese, it’s probably a good idea to take a Japanese for beginners class as soon as you can, though. That way, even if you decide to study Japanese culture and history, you’ll have a grounding in Japanese grammar and vocabulary which will help you understand the other classes better.

The library might become the most important place for you to visit. (Source: pixabay.com)

While we said that you don’t need to have studied Japanese before you go to university, if your high school offers it and you’re interested in studying it at undergraduate level, or in going to Japan, you should definitely choose it and make sure you’ve mastered the essential Japanese phrases and verbs before you go! This also means that you might even be able to skip some of the more basic Japanese lessons and opt directly to study Japanese at a more advanced level.

In summary, if you’re going to university and want to use Japanese in your future career, choosing Japanese classes is a no-brainer!

Which Colleges Can You Study Japanese At?

Would you like to study Japanese in order to live and work in Japan later on in life? Finding the right university shouldn’t be too difficult if you’re a hard-working student with good grades.

With so many colleges offering Japanese classes, you’ll be spoiled for choice. (Source: pixabay.com)

There are plenty of different universities around the world where you can study Japanese. These include universities across Europe, North America, and Australasia. This doesn’t mean that every university will offer Japanese courses, but you should be able to find various options if you live in bigger towns and cities.

Therefore, we advise that you contact the university where you would like to study to find out what options they offer for doing a degree in Japanese, or the optional modules that they might be able to offer you if you don’t want to commit such a process.

If you are looking for ways to study Japanese that are fun and lighthearted, did you know that you could also study Japanese by using video games?

The Best Way to Learn Japanese On Your Own: The Other Options

You’ve probably asked yourself if Japanese is difficult to learn? The answer is probably not as hard as you think, and therefore you shouldn’t let this put you off. If you’re not going to college or have already been, you can always study Japanese elsewhere. There are plenty of night classes where people get together to study Japanese in a more relaxed environment than a college class.

Furthermore, these are the kinds of classes where you learn to speak Japanese, rather than the focus being on how to read and write. You’ll probably start of with some greetings and expressions, speaking conversational Japanese, and getting to grips with the Japanese writing system: the Japanese kanji characters (which came from Chinese characters) and the kana (hiragana and katakana), which are sort of like the Japanese alphabet.

While the Japanese writing system isn’t simple, don’t forget that there are plenty of websites where you can learn Japanese online that will help you study reading and writing in Japanese if you’re struggling.

Later on in your Japanese course as you work through your textbook, you’ll start coming across less common Japanese characters, specialized words and phrases, and some of the more interesting aspects of Japanese grammar (have you ever heard of a particle?).

These classes are often cheaper than getting a college degree. After all, if you’ve already been to college, it would be silly to go back just to learn Japanese when you can learn it for less money! They’re also a good way to meet new people, too.

While you can’t get a degree, it’s possible to study for the JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) in order to prove your level in the language and there are also plenty of textbooks you can buy to help you. However, it’s worth checking whether or not the jobs you’d like to do require this as the exam doesn’t include a speaking elements and only focuses on reading, writing, and listening.

If you’re wondering where you can find such classes, you should look for a a local Japanese Language Institute. There are plenty of these around the world and most of them have an “education” section on their website where you can see how they’re teaching people in your area about Japanese history and culture as well as teaching people how to speak the language.

Thanks to the internet, not only can you find a local language school, but you can also take one of a number of online courses, too. There are also apps, YouTube videos, and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for you to sink your teeth into. It should be noted that, just like everything else on the Internet, the quality of these resources can vary wildly.

We recommend that you do a lot of research before making any decision as it can be demoralizing to constantly be changing study resources and courses. Choose a good resource, stick to it, and practice regularly.

Study Japanese with Private Tutorials

You may not know this, but you can study Japanese with a private tutor at home, without even having to leave the house. Typing Japanese lessons near me into Google is a good starting point to find a local tutor.

This can be beneficial if you have a hectic schedule at university, and you can’t find a space in your timetable to take Japanese classes.

You can call a private Japanese tutor who’ll be happy to come to your house to teach you Japanese on a regular basis. This way, you can learn Japanese at a time that suits you which makes it the most flexible way to learn.

Your Japanese tutorials could include:

Learning the Japanese writing systems (kanji, hiragana, katakana)

Studying Japanese grammar

Practicing Japanese pronunciation and speaking about a variety of different topics

Learning to count in Japanese

Studying Japanese particles (you should look forward to learning these!)

No matter what age you are, what your level is, or where you are in the world, you should be able to find a private tutor who can come to your house or provide private tutorials over webcam.

You can always boost your Japanese with help from a private tutor. (Source: negativespace.co)

In just a few clicks, you’ll be able to browse the profiles of several potential tutors. Don’t forget that the private tutors on Superprof tend to offer free tutoring for the first hour so that you can see whether or not they’re the right fit for you. You should clearly explain why you want to learn Japanese and what your objectives are so that they can plan your lessons accordingly.

A good tutor will be able to effortlessly adapt their methods in order to get the most out of the time they spend teaching you. This is the very best thing about hiring a private tutor. You’ll learn at your pace, not the pace of the rest of the class. This means they can go as fast or slow as they need to as well as tailor their classes to your strengths and weaknesses.

With all the tutors on Superprof, you should be able to find the perfect tutor for you. This means you can still continue studying Japanese even if your university doesn’t offer classes.

If your university does offer Japanese classes, tutorials are a great way to do some extra studying before a big test or finals.

And no matter where you live – you can learn Japanese online through Skype even if there isn’t a tutor living in your town!

Whether you choose to study Japanese at university or enlist the help of a private tutor, you should now know exactly where to go and what you need to do.

Of course, you don’t have to go to university to learn japanese. You can take classes anywhere: japanese classes london, Glasgow, Leeds, etc…!

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Jon

As an Englishman in Paris, I enjoy growing my knowledge of other languages and cultures. I'm interested in History, Economics, and Sociology and believe in the importance of continuous learning.